Israeli security forces arrested three Palestinians during a Tel Aviv-area terror alert.
Tipped off about an impending suicide bombing in Israel’s metropolis, police and Shin Bet security agents fanned out in force, stopping traffic for hours and conducting searches.
The manhunt finally zeroed in on Bat Yam, where a bus was halted at an intersection and a Palestinian, suspected of being a suicide bomber, was pulled off at gunpoint. Initial reports were that the Palestinian was not armed, though the Shin Bet said investigations were ongoing.
Two Palestinian laborers found in a nearby vehicle also were taken in for questioning.
Israel is on high alert for fear terrorists will try to scupper peace talks with the Palestinian Authority by carrying out a spectacular attack. Another possible motivation for terrorists to strike is Hezbollah’s vow to avenge its terror chief, Imad Mughniyeh, who was assassinated last month in Damascus.
